During a noontime newser, the retiring Democrat (by which we mean he's leaving office, and not withdrawn or even remotely shy), posited that while not ALL Republicans are "fruit loops," many in the Party of Lincoln, Reagan and (apparently) Woody Woodpecker, had fallen "under the spell, under the control of a growing force of people who are absolutely bonkers."

"There are clearly elements of the Republican Party that are totally wacked out," the Guv said. "People who want to get rid of the 14th amendment, who think the president is a Muslim, who think the president wasn't born in the United States ... these are people who are nuts."

Rendell said Toomey seems like a reasonable fellow, while Corbett hasn't yet done "enough wacko things to be classified as a wacko."

We assume the Guv, through his statements, is leaving the door open to upgrade the GOP pols, much as weathermen upgrade tropical storms to hurricanes.

Meanwhile, Rendell used another adjective -- despicable -- to describe the members of a Florida church who plan to burn copies of the Koran on Saturday -- the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

It is despicable, absolutely despicable," he said.

Rendell also told Capitol hacks that he plans to stand with the Arab-American community in Philadelphia in front of Independence Hall on Saturday to show his solidarity and "reaffirm the basic tenets of American democracy" -- including the free practice of religion.